(February 20, 2002) -- If a California Senate bill passes, a 1988 law that prohibits “electronic signaling devices” from being carried onto school campuses may change and students might be able to take their cell phones to school.

Assemblywoman Carol Liu (D-La Crescenta) proposed a bill that would allow students to carry cell phones on campus as long as the phones are turned off during school hours. Liu’s proposal would allow students to use their cell phone if “purposes relate to protecting the health and safety of a pupil, district employee, or other person on campus.”

The Senate bill would allow local school boards to set certain regulations that students must follow. This law would also allow students to bring and use cell phone during school hours “to the extent necessary to prevent the disruption of school instruction or activities.”

The 1988 law prohibits students from carrying cell phones to school because there were concerns about drug dealing on school campuses. However,  times have changed and cell phones are now a major form of communication.

“Just in case something happens, [cell phones] let parents know how [students] are,” commented freshman Diana Manukyan.

President of La Cañada Unified School District Jinny Dalbeck brought up the  issue to Liu  after the Sept. 11 attacks. La Cañada High School was evacuated because the school is nearby NASA Jet Propulsion Lab. Students were able to evacuate the school within 30 minutes because of cell phones the students carried,  though it is not permitted.

If the law passes, California will be the fourth state to allow cell phones to be brought on to school campuses, following the lead of  Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Maryland.